Never had Orion had to struggle so to control his own will. Her scent filled his head, the feel of her soft white skin and her womanly curves haunted him. So great was his agony that for an instant he failed to maintain his illusion of being human and felt his true appearance flow over him. That, Elena could never see. It was forbidden for a human to see him as what he really was, an Atlantean, a different species.
“Orion? What's wrong?” Elena asked. She raised her head, hair falling over her beautiful face, and stared at him. “Why ⦔
Her voice shocked him back to reality and he returned to the human image that she expected. But he was too close. He couldn't remain so near to her and not take her in every way.
Backing still farther away, Orion waved his hand and used all of his remaining powers to put her into a deep sleep. With a sigh, her eyelids flickered and closed; she slumped back onto the stone floor, and fell into a deep sleep.
They had lain together on the rock. Seaweed had been absent here in the ruins, and his bed of furs had been only another illusion. Concentrating, Orion willed Elena to forget everything that had happened since they left the cave above ⦠to remember nothing of the tablets with the ancient writing or his lovemaking. She would wake with a headache, but with no lasting harm. He couldn't say the same of himself. Never had he felt such searing pain behind his eyes.
But, he had to do this ⦠if it killed him. There was no other path. He would never be able to forgive himself if he failed.
If he'd used Elena as he wanted to, as much as he still desired her, he would have committed a terrible sin, an act little better than rape. She was human, a weaker species, and she had no defense against his seduction.
Against his better judgment, he went to her, knelt beside her and cradled her head in his arms. Lust raged in his blood, but when he brushed her lips with his, it was only with tenderness. “Sleep, little one,” he murmured.
He got to his feet again and walked to the far end of the corridor where the pillars and roof had fallen, sealing off the rest of the structure. He leaned his head against the gray granite and slowly gained control of his body.
He couldn't leave her here, but neither could he remain on the island. The temptation to have her was too great. No wonder the ancient ones had forbidden sexual congress between Atlanteans and humans. There was no contest ; it was all too easy. He would have to find one of his own kind and ease his need.
Certain that Elena would sleep for the next hour, he paced while he regained his composure. Gradually, the pain eased, and reason prevailed. The difficult part would be touching her without succumbing to the madness of lust.
I will do this
, he swore silently as he returned to her side. Gathering her in his arms, he carried her up the stone steps to the cave on the beach.
It was a simple thing, almost child's play, to disguise the entrance once more so that if Elena retained some traces of memory of what had happened, which he greatly doubted, she would find no doorway in the rock. It was easy to create illusion regarding the physical attributes of the ocean floor and beaches. What was difficult was hiding Atlantean roads and cities in shallow seas, but that too could be accomplished if enough trained minds were engaged in the project. So his kind had protected their old places from the earth dwellers for many thousands of years.
Orion laid her on a bed of dried kelp. Outside, the storm was receding. It was still daylight, but the water remained rough and he doubted that Elena would attempt to go back into those waves any time soon. He didn't want to risk transporting her underwater, which meant that he'd have to find a boat. Why did nothing ever go as he planned? He should have been back at his duty station, meeting with his captains, planning action against Melqart and his shades. In his lust to possess Elena he'd nearly forgotten the murdered tourists and the consequences their killings set in motion.
Sharing the same planet with humans and maintaining invisibility required constant vigilance. If the Phoenician war god was hunting these shores, the humans would be alarmed. They would fight back, and if they invaded the seas with their great ships and submarines, the Atlanteans would be in mortal danger. Better to seek out the murderers and deal with them quietly before the alarm was raised.
He was a prince of the kingdom. Rarely did he allow his duty to be overshadowed by a whim. How many times had he warned his brothers against becoming involved with human females? And he had nearly fallen into the same trap.
He was ashamed of himself. He still wanted her, but the madness had passed. He'd not take advantage of someone who'd saved his life. He'd see Elena safely back to land and forget that he'd ever laid eyes on her.
CHAPTER 6
A
movement at the cave's entrance caught Orion's eye. His first instinct was to protect Elena, and he tensed, moving to block her from the intruder's line of vision. Unsure if he should remain in his human guise or change back to his own form, he maintained his illusion and called out, “Come in out of the rain. It's dry in here.”
A familiar voice drained the tension from Orion's shoulders. “A woman? We thought you were Melqart fodder and you've been dallying with a human female?”
“Alex!”
His twin strode into the cavern, a round shield slung carelessly over one arm. Rain and seawater dripped off his plumed battle helmet, bronze cuirass, and greaves. He had the look of a man newly come from battle, but his fresh wounds were quickly healing and the gleam in his eyes told Orion that Alexandros was more exhilarated than shaken by whatever had crossed his path.
“You picked a poor time to seek out forbidden company.” Alex's keen eye had spotted Elena at once. And then he apparently realized that he hadn't altered his appearance and he studied her more intently. “How far can you trust her?”
“It's all right,” Orion said, coming to meet his brother with open arms. “She's sleeping. And it's not what you think. There's been no
dallying
. I have her to thank for my life.”
Alex made a sound of disbelief. “I can't wait to hear the story.” And then his expression softened. “The shades have been hunting these waters.”
“You're telling me. We tangled. You know about the German couple?”
“No, but others.” He clasped Orion in a crushing embrace, and this time, when he spoke, his voice couldn't cover his emotion. “Brother. We believed you were with Sjshsglee.”
“I was, but after we parted I ran into some trouble on the way back.” Orion quickly explained about his discovery of the dead tourists and his own confrontation with an overwhelming horde.
Alex listened without interrupting, but something in his manner told Orion that something was terribly wrong. As an identical twin, Orion had often known what Alex was going to say almost before he did. He'd sensed trouble when Alex appeared, but this was something he didn't want to hear, because it was bad and hearing Alex's words would make it so.
“What's wrong?” Orion asked. “Not the king?” Their father had narrowly escaped death only recently at the hands of Caddoc and his mother. Only once before had Poseidon, high king of Atlantis, been toppled from his throne by treachery and what had followed had been a terrible civil war as his heirs fought for the crown. It was a tragedy that no Atlantean hoped to see again.
“No, not him. Nor any of our brothers or sisters.” Alex's green eyes darkened to emerald and his features hardened. “Your mermaid.”
“Sjshsglee?” Orion shook his head. “That's not possible. I left her only ⦔ Memories flashed across his mind: her beautiful breasts, drops of water glistening on her blue-green scales ⦠the sound of her laughter. A fist tightened in his gut. “You're certain? It couldn't have been another of her kind?”
Alexandros shook his head. “I'm sorry. Her remains were identified by one of her sisters.”
Black, smothering fury engulfed him, and Orion swore violently. His fingers tightened into fists. He wanted to smash the rock wall, throw himself on the cave floor and pound the crumbling stone, but he contained the rage, forcing it to a locked compartment inside him. Soon, he would free it, and that anger would lend power to his blood vengeance in combat.
Instead, he pictured Sjshsglee as he had seen her last, lips red and swollen from his kisses, thick-lashed, blue eyes heavy-lidded with passion. She had meant more to him than a sexual playmate; she had been his friend for many centuries. Mermaids in general were vain, selfish creatures who thought of little but their own pleasures and could rarely be trusted, but she had been different. There had always been honesty between them, and he believed that she genuinely cared for him, as much as one of the mer folk could.
“She was a rare beauty with the voice of a fallen angel,” Alex said. “Many will miss her sweet songs.”
“Shades?”
Alex nodded.
Orion exhaled slowly, trying to reason past the wrath that coursed in his head. “Why bother to kill a mermaid? They're more fish than humanoid ⦠of little use to Melqart. Her life force would provide him scant energy.”
“You know what shades are like. When the sea runs with blood, they destroy everything that crosses their path. It's why we feared for you.”
“You think I'm so easily disposed of?”
“Apparently not.” Alex hugged him again. “I'm glad you're not dead, twin. And since you're not, we could use your help. We're sweeping the area. If any remain, we want to make certain they will hunt here no more.”
“The pack that was off this island nearly finished me.” He motioned toward Elena. “Luckily, she appeared in a small boat and gave me a way out. She saved my life, and I owe her. But I give you my word I've broken no laws with herâat least no serious ones.”
“She didn't see you as you are?”
Orion shook his head. “No. I was going to swim to the mainland and fetch a boat for her. I can't leave her. What if she went into the water?”
“You said you found the bodies of the Germans on this island. Are they still here?”
“I buried them. It's their custom.”
“But their families will never know what happened to them.”
“No.” Orion grimaced. “And now that you've told me of the other killings, I'm certain I did the right thing.” Absently, he massaged the back of his head. He'd been out of water far longer than was comfortable. He had the knack of remaining on land for days without suffering serious damage, but not without pain. He'd have a whale-size headache if he didn't immerse his body in salt water soon.
“Why would she”âAlex gestured toward Elenaâ“go in the water? It's too far for her to swim to the mainland.”
“Who knows what she'd do? She's unpredictable.” Orion couldn't stop thinking about Sjshsglee. It was hard to think of her dead. The thought that the same thing could happen to Elena gave him a sick feeling. “I can't take the chance she might. I owe her my protection.”
Alex looked unconvinced. “So your interest in this human is purely honorable?”
Orion met his brother's shrewd gaze. “I found her attractive, if that's what you mean. But nothing happened.”
“Take her to her own kind, if you must. But we have no time for you to locate a boat and bring it back. I'm not alone. I have a patrol with me. We'll provide security, and you can carry her to the mainland yourself.”
“Underwater?” Orion looked back at where Elena lay, still in a deep slumber. “I've never transported a human, other than Danu.” His older brother, Morgan, had involved the two of them in the rescue of a human youngling, a little girl he'd later adopted as his own daughter.
“I was there, remember,” Alex said. “If you could keep Danu from drowning, you can do the same for your female.”
Alex's tone didn't sit well with him. “Elena,” Orion said. “Her name is Elena.”
“Careful. Don't let yourself become attached to her.”
“I won't. I told you, I owe her a debt. Would you have me abandon her now?”
“Suit yourself, but I'm in enough trouble with our father for my own transgressions. If you're determined to do this, I'll help you, but we have no time to waste. Just make certain she remembers nothing. I'm not overly fond of humans.”
“Nor am I, but she's different.”
“Every woman you make love to is different, according to you.”
Orion clenched his jaw. “I told you, I didn't share pleasure with her.”
“Maybe not, but you'd like to.”
To that, Orion had no fit answer. As usual, Alexandros was right, and, as usual, he wanted to knock that smirk off his brother's face. It was the problem with having a twin. Alex knew him all too well, and he'd put into words what Orion hadn't wanted to face.
He did desire Elena.
“Are we going to hunt the horde today or not?”
In answer, Orion let his body shift back to his own natural state, picked up Elena, and carried her toward the crashing surf.
Â
She was dreaming. She knew she was dreaming because she was in Orion's arms, and he was swimmingânot on the surface of the water, but far below the surface. Above her, she could see schools of multicolored fish and below a sand and lava studded ocean floor.
She was no stranger to swimming and the sea was her passion, but at this depth, she wore her full diving gear and tanks. She was breathing; she could see bubbles rising from her mouth and nose, but she felt no distress or difficulty. She might have been a fish, so easily did she draw each breath.
Her eyes widened as she took in the wonder of swirling water and the man who held her in his arms. Orion. It was Orion, but yet, in a sense, it wasn't. There was something strange about him, something unusual other than the gleaming Phrygianâstyle Greek helmet on his head. So, she was either dreaming or she'd smashed her head when the Zodiac turned over in the surf, and she'd suffered brain damage.
If she squinted, Orion looked like Brad Pitt playing the role of Achilles in
Troy
. Although her fellow scholars disdained the film for cheap entertainment, she'd loved it, seen it three times in the theater and owned a DVD of the movie. As a scientist and archeologist, she knew where the history and storyline had separated, but she couldn't help it. Brad Pitt was adorable. As was Orion.
She dreamed as everyone dreamed, but she couldn't remember such a vivid dream, and although she sometimes dreamed of diving, she'd never included Greek warriors in her fantasy. Because Orion wasn't alone. Not far away, she could see other Greek or Macedonian infantrymen swimming on either side of them. The others were far enough away that she lost sight of them, and just when she'd decided that they were a figment of her imagination, another soldier would appear. And the one she saw over and over in the distance seemed to be Orion, so that he was both carrying her and in another place at the same time. Decidedly odd, even for a nightmare.
The other Orion carried an Alexander the Great era sword and a round shield that she might have seen on display in a dozen museums around the world. This was definitely a better class of dream, and if she was permanently disabled by cracking her head on a rock, at least she wasn't counting endless white sheep jumping over a white picket fence.
Orion, the one with his arms around her, glanced down at her. “Elena. You're awake.”
“You think so?” she managed. If she was, she was in worse condition than she'd thought. “Where are we?”
“Shh,” he said. “Close your eyes and sleep.”
“Sleep, hell. I want to see.” She struggled to break free of his embrace.
“All right.” He released her, and when she started to drift away, he caught her hand. “You're safe with me,” he assured her. “Safe with us.”
She didn't answer. Coming toward them was the largest turtle that she'd ever seen. Moss and barnacles clung to his green shell and two black eyes stared from a massive head, eyes that seemed filled with both ancient knowledge and sorrow. Silently, the turtle glided by, so close that she could have reached out and touched him.
Some divers claimed that the sea was silent, but Elena had never felt that way. She always heard an inner music, a majestic symphony interspersed with the click of dolphins, the poignant cry of whales, and the rhythm of the tides. She heard it now, and the sheer beauty made her feel small and humble.
“Come,” Orion said. “Since you're awake, swim with me.”
“But how? Have I drowned? I'm dead, aren't I? Is this some sort of test before I get to the place with the white light and the angel trumpets?”
He laughed.
She looked at him more closely. He wore not only a Greek helmet but a cuirass and greaves, gold arm bands, and a great black sword with a silver hilt, a sword definitely not Greek. It must be a sci-fi movie because she could swear his exposed skin was covered in tiny bluish scales, not repulsive fish scales, but intriguing. She reached out to touch his cheek and found it not cold, but warm and alive.
“Are you all extras in some sort of movie?” But she knew the moment it was out of her mouth that couldn't be the answer. Most filming was done on solid land and that that wasn't ⦠Well, even extras needed to breathe. Which meant that this she was definitely dreaming.
“I don't understand,” she said to him. If this was a nightmare, it wasn't a scary one, simply odd. She wasn't frightened, and she didn't want to wake up any time soon. There was too much to see.